‘That’s just their way of stopping me. The sheep wool isn’t food, clearly, just rent, so they can get by without me. They need me for the bird quotas here and they know they can’t prevent me from climbing the cliffs anyway, but they can stop me from getting into a boat with them.’

‘Their justification being?’

‘I can’t swim.’

Lord Sholto frowned. ‘But they can’t either. You said to me on the beach that—’

‘I know. It’s just the excuse they give.’

He didn’t reply, but his eyes flashed with something that looked like anger.

‘Can I be honest with you, Miss Gillies?’ the earl asked after a short pause.

‘I hope you will, sir.’

‘Before we left, Sir John mentioned to me in confidence that he had received a letter from the islanders. He said you’ve petitioned the government, asking for evacuation to the mainland.’

Effie looked at him, then away again. She clenched her jaw. ‘Aye.’

‘Did you sign it?’

‘I had to. We either all go or all stay, that was the arrangement.’

‘Even if it’s not what you want? You just said you never want to leave.’

‘That’s just how it is here. The voice of one is the voice of all. We can scarce support ourselves with the numbers we’ve got, it’s true, and if any more young men were to leave . . . I try to show them every day that we could manage it if the women could be allowed to do the men’s jobs too but . . .’

‘They’re not as brave as you?’

‘They just don’t want it. Every month, we have more tourist boats, people coming over and telling us about life on the Other Side: Luxury. Comfort. Heating. Shops. Cars. Indoor bathrooms. Talking pictures . . .’ She sighed, shrugging her shoulders in a hopeless gesture. ‘Their heads have been turned. They’re tired of island life.’

‘But you’re not?’

‘I don’t want easy. This is all I know. Besides, there’s nothing for me over there. I’d have nothing to go to.’

‘So if the government grants your request—?’

‘But they won’t. They never do, that’s why I agreed to sign. For years we’ve been asking for a radio tower, a regular mail boat, a bigger boat instead of the skiffs, even just herring nets! Nothing. Why should this be any different? No one cares about us.’